Assignment 2: Defining the Problem and Research Methods

Sections 1 and 2 of Major Assessment 7: Using an Epidemiological Approach to Critically Analyze a Population Health Problem

How do culture and environment influence health? What role does personality play in health outcomes? How do stressful life events influence disease? As a health care professional, you have most likely witnessed the influence of psychosocial factors on individual health. These factors also have a significant impact on population health. Chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and heart disease, as well as degenerative diseases, can be studied at the population level through the use of epidemiologic methods (Friis, 2014). The insights gained from this type of research can then positively impact health outcomes locally, nationally, and globally.

As you continue working on Assignment 2, which is due by Thursday 04/05/2018 Day 5 of this week, consider how psychosocial factors influence your population and population health issue.

To complete:

In 5–6 pages, APA format with a minimum of five (5) scholarly references (see list of required readings below), write the following sections of your paper:

Section 1: The Problem

1) Introduction (ending with a purpose statement: “the purpose of this paper is…)

2) A brief outline of the environment you selected (i.e., home, workplace, school)

3) A summary of your selected population health problem in terms of person, place, and time, and the magnitude of the problem based on data from appropriate data resources (Reference the data resources you used.)

4) Research question/hypothesis (same as the one in assignment 1. I’m including an attachment of assignment 1 you did for me).

Section 2: Research Methods

1) The epidemiologic study design you would use to assess and address your population health problem

2) Assessment strategies (i.e., if you were conducting a case-control study, how would you select your cases and controls? Regarding the methods and tools, you would use to make these selections, how is it convenient for you as the researcher or as the investigator to use this tool?)

3) Summary of the data collection activities (i.e., how you would collect data—online survey, paper/pen, mailing, etc.)

4) Conclusion of the whole paper.

Required Readings

Friis, R. H., & Sellers, T. A. (2014). Epidemiology for public health practice (5th ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett.

Chapter 10, “Data Interpretation Issues”

Chapter 15, “Social, Behavioral, and Psychosocial Epidemiology”

Appendix A – Guide to the Critical Appraisal of an Epidemiologic/Public Health Research Article

In Chapter 10, the authors describe issues related to data interpretation and address the main types of research errors that need to be considered when conducting epidemiologic research, as well as when analyzing published results. It also presents techniques for reducing bias. Chapter 15 features psychosocial, behavioral, and social epidemiology. Appendix A includes criteria to consider when reading an empirical journal article.

Elliott, A. M., Smith, B. H., Penny, K., Smith, W. C., & Chambers, W. A. (1999). The epidemiology of chronic pain in the community. The Lancet, 354(9186), 1248–1252.

This article describes an early epidemiologic study on chronic pain. Carefully review this article noting the structure of the research design, assessment and data collection, and analysis strategies. You will refer to this article for Discussion 2.

Oppenheimer, G. M. (2010). Framingham Heart Study: The first 20 years. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 53(1), 55–61.

The Framingham Heart Study is a landmark epidemiologic study that began in the 1940s. The author of this article reviews the history of the Framingham Heart Study and its contribution to population health. As you read this article, consider any sources of bias or potential conflict of interest. You will refer to this article for Discussion 2.

Phillips, C. V., & Goodman, K. J. (2004). The missed lessons of Sir Austin Bradford Hill. Epidemiologic Perspectives & Innovations, 1(3). Retrieved from http://www.biomedcentral.com/1742-5573/1/3 

In 1965, Austin Bradford Hill worked on a paper that has become a standard in public health and epidemiologic study about how to make decisions based on epidemiologic evidence. Hill put forth strategies for inferring causation and stressed the need for considering costs and benefits when planning health-promoting interventions. Review this article, which examines how Hill’s strategies are often misused or misinterpreted.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). CDC health disparities and inequalities report—United States, 2011. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Supplement, (60), 1–114. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/other/su6001.pdf. [Read pages 11–32]

This report consolidates national data on disparities in mortality, morbidity, behavioral risk factors, health care access, preventive health services, and social determinants of critical health problems in the United States by using selected indicators. The required section of reading introduces the social determinants of health and environmental hazards.

World Health Organization. (2011). Social determinants of health. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/social_determinants/en/

According to the World Health Organization, “The social determinants of health are mostly responsible for health inequities—the unfair and avoidable differences in health status seen within and between countries.” This article presents an introduction to social determinants of health.

World Health Organization. (2011). Social determinants of health: Key concepts. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/social_determinants/thecommission/finalreport/key_concepts/en/index.html

This article outlines key concepts related to the social determinants of health.

Healthy People 2020. (2011). Social determinants of health. Retrieved from http://healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview.aspx?topicid=39

This website presents an overview of the social determinants of health and addresses how the information relates to Healthy People 2020.

UCL Institute of Health Equity. (2012). ‘Fair society healthy lives’ (The Marmot Review). Retrieved from http://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/projects/fair-society-healthy-lives-the-marmot-review

Optional Resources

Genaidy, A. M., Lemasters, G. K., Lockey, J., Succop, P., Deddens, J., Sobeih, & Dunning, K. (2007). An epidemiological appraisal instrumental – a tool for evaluation of epidemiological studies. Ergonomics, 50(6), 920–960.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). Social determinants of health. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/socialdeterminants/

 

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CompetencyExamine basic descriptive statistics, and demonstrate results using calculated values and statistical charts.
InstructionsScenario (Information repeated for deliverable 01, 03, and 04)A major client of your company is interested in the salary  distributions of jobs in the state of Minnesota that range from $30,000  to $200,000 per year. As a Business Analyst, your boss asks you to  research and analyze the salary distributions. You are given a spreadsheet that contains the following information:A listing of the jobs by title The salary (in dollars) for each jobThe client needs the preliminary findings by the end of the day, and your boss asks you to first compute some basic statistics.
Background information on the DataThe data set in the spreadsheet consists of 364 records that you  will be analyzing from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data set  contains a listing of several jobs titles with yearly salaries ranging  from approximately $30,000 to $200,000 for the state of Minnesota.
What to SubmitYour boss wants you to submit the spreadsheet with the completed  calculations. Your research and analysis should be present within the  answers provided on the worksheet.

 

"Looking for a Similar Assignment? Get Expert Help at an Amazing Discount!"

 CompetencyExamine basic descriptive statistics, and demonstrate results using calculated values and statistical charts.
InstructionsScenario

 (Information repeated for deliverable 01, 03, and 04) A major client of your company is interested in the salary  distributions of jobs in the state of Minnesota that range from $30,000  to $200,000 per year. As a Business Analyst, your boss asks you to  research and analyze the salary distributions. You are given a spreadsheet that contains the following information: A listing of the jobs by title The salary (in dollars) for each job The client needs the preliminary findings by the end of the day, and your boss asks you to first compute some basic statistics.
Background information on the Data The data set in the spreadsheet consists of 364 records that you  will be analyzing from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data set  contains a listing of several jobs titles with yearly salaries ranging  from approximately $30,000 to $200,000 for the state of Minnesota.
What to Submit Your boss wants you to submit the spreadsheet with the completed  calculations. Your research and analysis should be present within the  answers provided on the worksheet.

 

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Deliverable 01 – English Composition

Competency

Identify and illustrate steps of the writing process in composing written exercises.

Instructions

Compose a single body descriptive paragraph in formal written English. Be sure to include the following:

• Topic sentence that provides the main idea for the descriptive paragraph.
• Body sentences that discuss the main idea for the descriptive paragraph using explanation, examples, details, and of course, descriptive elements.
• Transition sentence: Your descriptive paragraph must include the use of at least one or more transitions that move the paragraph along.
• Conclusion sentence: Your descriptive paragraph must end with a concluding sentence that wraps up and refers to the main idea of the topic sentence and signals to the reader that the paragraph is over.
• Your descriptive paragraph needs to contain a minimum total of five complete sentences.

Reminder: Descriptive refers to a style of writing. Choose your sentences for your descriptive paragraph from the following sentences, and use them together to construct your descriptive paragraph. They will not all be appropriate for this paragraph, so choose only the sentences that result in a complete descriptive paragraph as listed above. Use a topic sentence that provides the main idea for a single well-organized paragraph using the steps of the writing process.

Choose the best sentences to construct your descriptive paragraph, and put them together to make ONE well-organized descriptive paragraph. Remember that not all sentences need to be used.

1. It’s a soft, blue-sky break before the gray skies of winter begin to reflect the steely cold waters the lake becomes with the first freeze.
2. Dogs are sometimes fierce protectors that can attack anyone they feel is threatening a family.
3. In the old days, dogs were not considered companions, but seen more as working animals.
4. That’s what we can all call a red-letter day!
5. My dog, Bosco, is a Harlequin Great Dane that outweighs our 10 year old brother, and to the other dogs in our neighborhood he must look like a tall spotted monster because they avoid him at all cost.
6. Do you think dogs are smarter than people?
7. Sometimes our dog seems to know when we are laughing at him because he tucks his head down and appears to shrink into a small ball resembling a lumpy soccer ball.
8. On a beautiful fall day, my family enjoys picnicking at a quiet beach we know that has a blue lagoon surrounded by rustic picnic tables and tall, green pines.
9. I really like dogs.
10. The whole family grabs sweaters and corduroys, Mom packs a cheese sandwich picnic basket with all the junk food we never get to taste otherwise, and we jump into Dad’s old blue jalopy and head out for one last day of fun before all the hub-bub of school gets into swing.
11. My brother is a great Jayvee football quarterback, my older red-headed sister is a cheerleader complete with red pom-poms, and I play cymbals and drums in the school pep band, so we are usually very tied up in school activities soon after school starts.
12. That dog can open the refrigerator and grab a can of soda!
13. I really enjoy the pep band; it’s fun to get all dressed up in my red band uniform and beat those shiny drums during a game.
14. Our big dog needs to stay at home with the cat because he attracts sand and fleas.
15. On one hand, it is hard to get everything ready for the day trip; on the other hand, nobody in our family wants to miss such a day of fun.
16. My brother thinks he is smarter and more well-dressed than the rest of us because he is the oldest.
17. For example, cats can be really pretty, but they don’t seem to love everyone in the family.
18. At the end of a great day of flying kites, chasing each other around the lagoon, and eating great junk food, we all go home extremely tired and extremely happy.
19. A day with my dog.
20. My family comes in all shapes, ages, sizes, and hair colors, but no matter what we look like, we ALL love to eat.

As night falls and my father drives the old beat-up car towards home, most of us finish up the cheese sandwiches and chips and doze off after a day of fun.

 

Deliverable 01 – English Composition

Competency

Identify and illustrate steps of the writing process in composing written exercises.

Instructions

Compose a single body descriptive paragraph in formal written English. Be sure to include the following:

• Topic sentence that provides the main idea for the descriptive paragraph.
• Body sentences that discuss the main idea for the descriptive paragraph using explanation, examples, details, and of course, descriptive elements.
• Transition sentence: Your descriptive paragraph must include the use of at least one or more transitions that move the paragraph along.
• Conclusion sentence: Your descriptive paragraph must end with a concluding sentence that wraps up and refers to the main idea of the topic sentence and signals to the reader that the paragraph is over.
• Your descriptive paragraph needs to contain a minimum total of five complete sentences.

Reminder: Descriptive refers to a style of writing. Choose your sentences for your descriptive paragraph from the following sentences, and use them together to construct your descriptive paragraph. They will not all be appropriate for this paragraph, so choose only the sentences that result in a complete descriptive paragraph as listed above. Use a topic sentence that provides the main idea for a single well-organized paragraph using the steps of the writing process.

Choose the best sentences to construct your descriptive paragraph, and put them together to make ONE well-organized descriptive paragraph. Remember that not all sentences need to be used.

1. It’s a soft, blue-sky break before the gray skies of winter begin to reflect the steely cold waters the lake becomes with the first freeze.
2. Dogs are sometimes fierce protectors that can attack anyone they feel is threatening a family.
3. In the old days, dogs were not considered companions, but seen more as working animals.
4. That’s what we can all call a red-letter day!
5. My dog, Bosco, is a Harlequin Great Dane that outweighs our 10 year old brother, and to the other dogs in our neighborhood he must look like a tall spotted monster because they avoid him at all cost.
6. Do you think dogs are smarter than people?
7. Sometimes our dog seems to know when we are laughing at him because he tucks his head down and appears to shrink into a small ball resembling a lumpy soccer ball.
8. On a beautiful fall day, my family enjoys picnicking at a quiet beach we know that has a blue lagoon surrounded by rustic picnic tables and tall, green pines.
9. I really like dogs.
10. The whole family grabs sweaters and corduroys, Mom packs a cheese sandwich picnic basket with all the junk food we never get to taste otherwise, and we jump into Dad’s old blue jalopy and head out for one last day of fun before all the hub-bub of school gets into swing.
11. My brother is a great Jayvee football quarterback, my older red-headed sister is a cheerleader complete with red pom-poms, and I play cymbals and drums in the school pep band, so we are usually very tied up in school activities soon after school starts.
12. That dog can open the refrigerator and grab a can of soda!
13. I really enjoy the pep band; it’s fun to get all dressed up in my red band uniform and beat those shiny drums during a game.
14. Our big dog needs to stay at home with the cat because he attracts sand and fleas.
15. On one hand, it is hard to get everything ready for the day trip; on the other hand, nobody in our family wants to miss such a day of fun.
16. My brother thinks he is smarter and more well-dressed than the rest of us because he is the oldest.
17. For example, cats can be really pretty, but they don’t seem to love everyone in the family.
18. At the end of a great day of flying kites, chasing each other around the lagoon, and eating great junk food, we all go home extremely tired and extremely happy.
19. A day with my dog.
20. My family comes in all shapes, ages, sizes, and hair colors, but no matter what we look like, we ALL love to eat.
21. As night falls and my father drives the old beat-up car towards home, most of us finish up the cheese sandwiches and chips and doze off after a day of fun. 

Deliverable 01 – English Composition

Competency

Identify and illustrate steps of the writing process in composing written exercises.

Instructions

Compose a single body descriptive paragraph in formal written English. Be sure to include the following:

• Topic sentence that provides the main idea for the descriptive paragraph.
• Body sentences that discuss the main idea for the descriptive paragraph using explanation, examples, details, and of course, descriptive elements.
• Transition sentence: Your descriptive paragraph must include the use of at least one or more transitions that move the paragraph along.
• Conclusion sentence: Your descriptive paragraph must end with a concluding sentence that wraps up and refers to the main idea of the topic sentence and signals to the reader that the paragraph is over.
• Your descriptive paragraph needs to contain a minimum total of five complete sentences.

Reminder: Descriptive refers to a style of writing. Choose your sentences for your descriptive paragraph from the following sentences, and use them together to construct your descriptive paragraph. They will not all be appropriate for this paragraph, so choose only the sentences that result in a complete descriptive paragraph as listed above. Use a topic sentence that provides the main idea for a single well-organized paragraph using the steps of the writing process.

Choose the best sentences to construct your descriptive paragraph, and put them together to make ONE well-organized descriptive paragraph. Remember that not all sentences need to be used.

1. It’s a soft, blue-sky break before the gray skies of winter begin to reflect the steely cold waters the lake becomes with the first freeze.
2. Dogs are sometimes fierce protectors that can attack anyone they feel is threatening a family.
3. In the old days, dogs were not considered companions, but seen more as working animals.
4. That’s what we can all call a red-letter day!
5. My dog, Bosco, is a Harlequin Great Dane that outweighs our 10 year old brother, and to the other dogs in our neighborhood he must look like a tall spotted monster because they avoid him at all cost.
6. Do you think dogs are smarter than people?
7. Sometimes our dog seems to know when we are laughing at him because he tucks his head down and appears to shrink into a small ball resembling a lumpy soccer ball.
8. On a beautiful fall day, my family enjoys picnicking at a quiet beach we know that has a blue lagoon surrounded by rustic picnic tables and tall, green pines.
9. I really like dogs.
10. The whole family grabs sweaters and corduroys, Mom packs a cheese sandwich picnic basket with all the junk food we never get to taste otherwise, and we jump into Dad’s old blue jalopy and head out for one last day of fun before all the hub-bub of school gets into swing.
11. My brother is a great Jayvee football quarterback, my older red-headed sister is a cheerleader complete with red pom-poms, and I play cymbals and drums in the school pep band, so we are usually very tied up in school activities soon after school starts.
12. That dog can open the refrigerator and grab a can of soda!
13. I really enjoy the pep band; it’s fun to get all dressed up in my red band uniform and beat those shiny drums during a game.
14. Our big dog needs to stay at home with the cat because he attracts sand and fleas.
15. On one hand, it is hard to get everything ready for the day trip; on the other hand, nobody in our family wants to miss such a day of fun.
16. My brother thinks he is smarter and more well-dressed than the rest of us because he is the oldest.
17. For example, cats can be really pretty, but they don’t seem to love everyone in the family.
18. At the end of a great day of flying kites, chasing each other around the lagoon, and eating great junk food, we all go home extremely tired and extremely happy.
19. A day with my dog.
20. My family comes in all shapes, ages, sizes, and hair colors, but no matter what we look like, we ALL love to eat.
21. As night falls and my father drives the old beat-up car towards home, most of us finish up the cheese sandwiches and chips and doze off after a day of fun.erable 01 – English Composition

Competency

Identify and illustrate steps of the writing process in composing written exercises.

Instructions

Compose a single body descriptive paragraph in formal written English. Be sure to include the following:

• Topic sentence that provides the main idea for the descriptive paragraph.
• Body sentences that discuss the main idea for the descriptive paragraph using explanation, examples, details, and of course, descriptive elements.
• Transition sentence: Your descriptive paragraph must include the use of at least one or more transitions that move the paragraph along.
• Conclusion sentence: Your descriptive paragraph must end with a concluding sentence that wraps up and refers to the main idea of the topic sentence and signals to the reader that the paragraph is over.
• Your descriptive paragraph needs to contain a minimum total of five complete sentences.

Reminder: Descriptive refers to a style of writing. Choose your sentences for your descriptive paragraph from the following sentences, and use them together to construct your descriptive paragraph. They will not all be appropriate for this paragraph, so choose only the sentences that result in a complete descriptive paragraph as listed above. Use a topic sentence that provides the main idea for a single well-organized paragraph using the steps of the writing process.

Choose the best sentences to construct your descriptive paragraph, and put them together to make ONE well-organized descriptive paragraph. Remember that not all sentences need to be used.

1. It’s a soft, blue-sky break before the gray skies of winter begin to reflect the steely cold waters the lake becomes with the first freeze.
2. Dogs are sometimes fierce protectors that can attack anyone they feel is threatening a family.
3. In the old days, dogs were not considered companions, but seen more as working animals.
4. That’s what we can all call a red-letter day!
5. My dog, Bosco, is a Harlequin Great Dane that outweighs our 10 year old brother, and to the other dogs in our neighborhood he must look like a tall spotted monster because they avoid him at all cost.
6. Do you think dogs are smarter than people?
7. Sometimes our dog seems to know when we are laughing at him because he tucks his head down and appears to shrink into a small ball resembling a lumpy soccer ball.
8. On a beautiful fall day, my family enjoys picnicking at a quiet beach we know that has a blue lagoon surrounded by rustic picnic tables and tall, green pines.
9. I really like dogs.
10. The whole family grabs sweaters and corduroys, Mom packs a cheese sandwich picnic basket with all the junk food we never get to taste otherwise, and we jump into Dad’s old blue jalopy and head out for one last day of fun before all the hub-bub of school gets into swing.
11. My brother is a great Jayvee football quarterback, my older red-headed sister is a cheerleader complete with red pom-poms, and I play cymbals and drums in the school pep band, so we are usually very tied up in school activities soon after school starts.
12. That dog can open the refrigerator and grab a can of soda!
13. I really enjoy the pep band; it’s fun to get all dressed up in my red band uniform and beat those shiny drums during a game.
14. Our big dog needs to stay at home with the cat because he attracts sand and fleas.
15. On one hand, it is hard to get everything ready for the day trip; on the other hand, nobody in our family wants to miss such a day of fun.
16. My brother thinks he is smarter and more well-dressed than the rest of us because he is the oldest.
17. For example, cats can be really pretty, but they don’t seem to love everyone in the family.
18. At the end of a great day of flying kites, chasing each other around the lagoon, and eating great junk food, we all go home extremely tired and extremely happy.
19. A day with my dog.
20. My family comes in all shapes, ages, sizes, and hair colors, but no matter what we look like, we ALL love to eat.
21. As night falls and my father drives the old beat-up car towards home, most of us finish up the cheese sandwiches and chips and doze off after a day of fun.

Deliverable 01 – English Composition

Competency

Identify and illustrate steps of the writing process in composing written exercises.

Instructions

Compose a single body descriptive paragraph in formal written English. Be sure to include the following:

• Topic sentence that provides the main idea for the descriptive paragraph.
• Body sentences that discuss the main idea for the descriptive paragraph using explanation, examples, details, and of course, descriptive elements.
• Transition sentence: Your descriptive paragraph must include the use of at least one or more transitions that move the paragraph along.
• Conclusion sentence: Your descriptive paragraph must end with a concluding sentence that wraps up and refers to the main idea of the topic sentence and signals to the reader that the paragraph is over.
• Your descriptive paragraph needs to contain a minimum total of five complete sentences.

Reminder: Descriptive refers to a style of writing. Choose your sentences for your descriptive paragraph from the following sentences, and use them together to construct your descriptive paragraph. They will not all be appropriate for this paragraph, so choose only the sentences that result in a complete descriptive paragraph as listed above. Use a topic sentence that provides the main idea for a single well-organized paragraph using the steps of the writing process.

Choose the best sentences to construct your descriptive paragraph, and put them together to make ONE well-organized descriptive paragraph. Remember that not all sentences need to be used.

1. It’s a soft, blue-sky break before the gray skies of winter begin to reflect the steely cold waters the lake becomes with the first freeze.
2. Dogs are sometimes fierce protectors that can attack anyone they feel is threatening a family.
3. In the old days, dogs were not considered companions, but seen more as working animals.
4. That’s what we can all call a red-letter day!
5. My dog, Bosco, is a Harlequin Great Dane that outweighs our 10 year old brother, and to the other dogs in our neighborhood he must look like a tall spotted monster because they avoid him at all cost.
6. Do you think dogs are smarter than people?
7. Sometimes our dog seems to know when we are laughing at him because he tucks his head down and appears to shrink into a small ball resembling a lumpy soccer ball.
8. On a beautiful fall day, my family enjoys picnicking at a quiet beach we know that has a blue lagoon surrounded by rustic picnic tables and tall, green pines.
9. I really like dogs.
10. The whole family grabs sweaters and corduroys, Mom packs a cheese sandwich picnic basket with all the junk food we never get to taste otherwise, and we jump into Dad’s old blue jalopy and head out for one last day of fun before all the hub-bub of school gets into swing.
11. My brother is a great Jayvee football quarterback, my older red-headed sister is a cheerleader complete with red pom-poms, and I play cymbals and drums in the school pep band, so we are usually very tied up in school activities soon after school starts.
12. That dog can open the refrigerator and grab a can of soda!
13. I really enjoy the pep band; it’s fun to get all dressed up in my red band uniform and beat those shiny drums during a game.
14. Our big dog needs to stay at home with the cat because he attracts sand and fleas.
15. On one hand, it is hard to get everything ready for the day trip; on the other hand, nobody in our family wants to miss such a day of fun.
16. My brother thinks he is smarter and more well-dressed than the rest of us because he is the oldest.
17. For example, cats can be really pretty, but they don’t seem to love everyone in the family.
18. At the end of a great day of flying kites, chasing each other around the lagoon, and eating great junk food, we all go home extremely tired and extremely happy.
19. A day with my dog.
20. My family comes in all shapes, ages, sizes, and hair colors, but no matter what we look like, we ALL love to eat.
21. As night falls and my father drives the old beat-up car towards home, most of us finish up the cheese sandwiches and chips and doze off after a day of fun.Deliverable 01 – English Composition

Competency

Identify and illustrate steps of the writing process in composing written exercises.

Instructions

Compose a single body descriptive paragraph in formal written English. Be sure to include the following:

• Topic sentence that provides the main idea for the descriptive paragraph.
• Body sentences that discuss the main idea for the descriptive paragraph using explanation, examples, details, and of course, descriptive elements.
• Transition sentence: Your descriptive paragraph must include the use of at least one or more transitions that move the paragraph along.
• Conclusion sentence: Your descriptive paragraph must end with a concluding sentence that wraps up and refers to the main idea of the topic sentence and signals to the reader that the paragraph is over.
• Your descriptive paragraph needs to contain a minimum total of five complete sentences.

Reminder: Descriptive refers to a style of writing. Choose your sentences for your descriptive paragraph from the following sentences, and use them together to construct your descriptive paragraph. They will not all be appropriate for this paragraph, so choose only the sentences that result in a complete descriptive paragraph as listed above. Use a topic sentence that provides the main idea for a single well-organized paragraph using the steps of the writing process.

Choose the best sentences to construct your descriptive paragraph, and put them together to make ONE well-organized descriptive paragraph. Remember that not all sentences need to be used.

1. It’s a soft, blue-sky break before the gray skies of winter begin to reflect the steely cold waters the lake becomes with the first freeze.
2. Dogs are sometimes fierce protectors that can attack anyone they feel is threatening a family.
3. In the old days, dogs were not considered companions, but seen more as working animals.
4. That’s what we can all call a red-letter day!
5. My dog, Bosco, is a Harlequin Great Dane that outweighs our 10 year old brother, and to the other dogs in our neighborhood he must look like a tall spotted monster because they avoid him at all cost.
6. Do you think dogs are smarter than people?
7. Sometimes our dog seems to know when we are laughing at him because he tucks his head down and appears to shrink into a small ball resembling a lumpy soccer ball.
8. On a beautiful fall day, my family enjoys picnicking at a quiet beach we know that has a blue lagoon surrounded by rustic picnic tables and tall, green pines.
9. I really like dogs.
10. The whole family grabs sweaters and corduroys, Mom packs a cheese sandwich picnic basket with all the junk food we never get to taste otherwise, and we jump into Dad’s old blue jalopy and head out for one last day of fun before all the hub-bub of school gets into swing.
11. My brother is a great Jayvee football quarterback, my older red-headed sister is a cheerleader complete with red pom-poms, and I play cymbals and drums in the school pep band, so we are usually very tied up in school activities soon after school starts.
12. That dog can open the refrigerator and grab a can of soda!
13. I really enjoy the pep band; it’s fun to get all dressed up in my red band uniform and beat those shiny drums during a game.
14. Our big dog needs to stay at home with the cat because he attracts sand and fleas.
15. On one hand, it is hard to get everything ready for the day trip; on the other hand, nobody in our family wants to miss such a day of fun.
16. My brother thinks he is smarter and more well-dressed than the rest of us because he is the oldest.
17. For example, cats can be really pretty, but they don’t seem to love everyone in the family.
18. At the end of a great day of flying kites, chasing each other around the lagoon, and eating great junk food, we all go home extremely tired and extremely happy.
19. A day with my dog.
20. My family comes in all shapes, ages, sizes, and hair colors, but no matter what we look like, we ALL love to eat.
21. As night falls and my father drives the old beat-up car towards home, most of us finish up the cheese sandwiches and chips and doze off after a day of fun.

 

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